NASA has selected two Colorado companies to lead the development of a groundbreaking space telescope, aiming to find signs of life on other planets. The Habitable Worlds Observatory, a NASA flagship project, will be the first telescope specifically designed to observe planets orbiting distant stars, addressing the age-old question of whether we are alone in the universe. While it's still a concept, the telescope is expected to be fully developed after the Nancy Grace Roman telescope's launch next year. The project has been allocated a substantial $105 million budget, which will be distributed among seven companies, including Denver-based Astroscale U.S. and Westminster-based BAE Systems Space and Missions Systems. These companies are tasked with researching and developing new technologies for NASA's future flagship program. Astroscale U.S. is focusing on making the telescope repairable while in orbit, a challenging feat given the telescope's distance from Earth and the communication delay it will experience. The Habitable Worlds Observatory will be stationed about 900,000 miles above Earth, beyond the moon's orbit, creating a 5-second one-way communication delay, which poses unique challenges for robotic repairs. One of the major engineering hurdles is the need for an incredibly stable and precise optical system. The satellite must not move more than the width of an atom while collecting data, according to NASA. Companies like BAE Systems and Space Mission Systems, which acquired Ball Aerospace, have the expertise to achieve this level of precision. They designed and built the mirrors and actuators for the James Webb Space Telescope, aligning the primary mirror segments with astonishing accuracy, to 1/10,000th the thickness of a human hair. This level of precision was evident in the stunning images beamed back to Earth in 2022, which left program managers in awe. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasizes the importance of such projects, stating that the Habitable Worlds Observatory represents the kind of bold, forward-leaning science that only NASA can undertake. The project is expected to generate significant economic activity, employing 55,000 people directly in Colorado and indirectly supporting 184,000 more. NASA contracts in the state have contributed $5 billion in economic activity, 21,000 jobs, and over $190 million in state tax revenue, according to the University of Colorado Boulder.
